# SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL User Manual SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL By Jim Sivage 8/98 Year 2000 complaint. Safeguard your system. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � SYSTEM SAFE README � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� LINE CONTENTS 23 SYSTEM SAFE INTRODUCTION 113 REGISTER SYSTEM SAFE 162 INSTALL SYSTEM SAFE 220 LEVEL OF PROTECTION 244 DAYS BETWEEN UPDATES 266 RECOVER SYSTEM 313 ADVANCED 353 UNINSTALL SYSTEM SAFE 386 FINAL NOTES 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � SYSTEM SAFE INTRODUCTION � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� WHAT IS SYSTEM SAFE? System Safe is a system recovery program designed to survive a computer crash resulting from an array of causes. With it's new ISO-SEEK technology, SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL (SSP) can scan your entire system and tag your primary system files for future use in updates. Chances are, if System Safe cannot revive your system then nothing will. You must first install this program and have it actively running in your system before it can be of value in the event of a future crash. WHAT IS ISO-SEEK TECHNOLOGY? As soon as you run install, SSP immediately begins to gather resources by checking the essential components in your computer. It will seek out and isolate your primary system files and tag them for future reference. Each time the update scan system program (Safecom.exe) is executed, the integrity of your system directory structure is checked for the purpose of security. If you have one or more system files missing, the update scan program stops and you are given a message these files are missing and will inform you to uninstall SSP and re-install it so all your system files can be re-detected. This procedure ensures your system will remain accurately updated. HOW DOES SYSTEM SAFE WORK? Ever so often, I had the unfortunate experience of system crashes. In my desperation, I went out and bought a fifty dollar diagnostic program (not named) that done many things including save a snapshot of my system files. The problem is, you have to manually run the program and from there, save the snapshot. This is great except first, it didn't save enough of the system files to be useful and secondly, since you manually had to do it, it might be two or three months before you get around to the procedure again. By this time, your snapshot system files could be obsolete. Useless. The advantage of System Safe is, the update scan program will run from your autoexec.bat file which is a startup file located in your root directory. After you install this program, it is included in your autoexec.bat file, and loads each time your computer is booted up. Upon loading, it checks to determine the last date it took a snapshot of your system. With its user interface, you can set the number of days between each update, determine program and data directories, set the run file name, recover system data, uninstall System Safe and more. System Safe alternates a set of two update snapshots and uses the level of protection you choose in order to provide a higher success rate of recovery. After you've installed, you may run the SSP's interface from your root directory by typing at the DOS prompt the run file name you chose in install. Once you've made changes to your settings, SSP will perform with no intervention. You may enter SSP's interface at any time to change settings. System Safe activates each time you turn on your computer and checks if an update is due. For those of you who keep your computer on all the time, I offer solutions on how to keep your updates current and automatic which you will find in the help file Days.exe. You can't ask for better protection. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS * Windows 95 There is no version of System Safe available for Windows 3.x or Mac. IS SYSTEM SAFE A WINDOWS APPLICATION OR A DOS APPLICATION? Please imagine if you will...your computer has just been turned on. Your memory check clicks by, then a beep, next you see your general computer information come up on the screen and you wait... Suddenly the message you've been waiting on... Starting Windows 95. Then it happens. Just pops up on the screen. A message telling you the windows operating system will not load up. As you can see, at this point, a Windows application would be useless. System Safe is a DOS based program not dependent on Windows. JUST HOW DURABLE IS SYSTEM SAFE? While System Safe can handle most anything it encounters in accordance to a system failure, it is not fool proof. It cannot guard against accidental or intentional deletion of your entire Windows directory or various sections thereof. So because of this and the many quirks experienced in computer systems, I must include this clause: I, NOR SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE INCURRED BY SYSTEM SAFE. SYSTEM SAFE IS PROVIDED AS-IS WITH NO WARRANTY EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. SYSTEM SAFE HAS BEEN TESTED EXTENSIVELY AND SHOULD PROVE TO BE A GREAT ASSET TO YOUR PEACE OF MIND AND YOUR COMPUTER. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � REGISTERING SYSTEM SAFE � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL AND ISO-SEEK TECHNOLOGY ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF SYSTEM SAFE. This work is dedicated to Jesus Christ and my family. System Safe is not freeware. It is shareware. You may distribute the shareware edition as freely as you would like, providing you keep all files in tact. You may not freely distribute the passcode. Registration is easy and affordable. Just $5 Registration gives you the passcode that switches System Safe to the registered version. It also makes you available for any future updates or enhancements. Use of System Safe is allowed for 30 days. After this time, you are expected to register. Registering System Safe will make all the features available to you. I feel you will find System Safe a great asset and I am convinced in your integrity and desire to do the right thing. If you have System Safe 2.x and have downloaded SSP, the passcode from version 2.x is the same and no further registration is necessary. To Register... Send Check or Money Order to: System Safe %Jim Sivage 610 N 18 Fort Smith, Ar. 72901 Make payable to Jim Sivage. Remember to include your Name & Mailing Address. The passcode will be mailed to you promptly. If you include your e-mail address, I will e-mail it to you instead for faster delivery. If you have any questions or comments please include in your registration or e-mail me at: jimmyb@iso.net 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � INSTALL SYSTEM SAFE � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� System Safe can be installed using Winzip or installed from DOS. * Winzip Choose open, choose SSAFEPRO.ZIP and double click on Install. * DOS Create a temporary directory on your hard drive and unzip the files to there using Winzip or Pkunzip. Then switch to that directory and run Install.exe. Once you've run Install.exe... Change current directory in which to install Choose this function to determine the directory that will contain the System Safe program. Note: The drive letter depicted here must be the same as your startup hard drive. Once you name this directory from here, the only way to rename it afterward will be to use System Safe's Uninstall feature, then re-install System Safe. Change current system data update directory Choose this function to determine the directory that will contain the data update files. Note: The drive letter depicted here must be the same as your startup hard drive. WARNING! This directory will become a hidden system directory. Any attempts to rename this directory after this install or move this directory or re-arrange the files contained within could and/or will cause disruptions and the inability to update/restore your system files. Once you name this directory from here, the only way to rename it afterward will be to use System Safe's Uninstall feature, then re-install System Safe. Change current run file to run System Safe from C:\ Choose this option if you wish to change the run file from the root directory of drive C. The default is Safepro.bat. After installed, you may switch to the C:\ prompt and type [ Safepro ] and the System Safe interface will appear. If you change it, use a word that's easy for you to remember because in the event you need to recover your system files, you may not want the added stress of remembering a complicated word. Another point is to keep this word at eight characters or less or you may find yourself typing something like: recove~1 when you really intended the word: recover_system. This file may be renamed at any time as long as you keep the .bat file name extension. Uninstall Note System Safe understands the importance of a total and complete clean uninstall. I hope you never find the need to do so, but if you do, you can do this from the uninstall available after you install System Safe. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � LEVEL OF PROTECTION � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Set Protection Level There are three levels of protection from which to choose, depending on your needs. If you change this setting, you will automatically update. Level 1 Crucial Files Choose this level to update only the basic DOS and Windows system files. Level 2 Crucial Plus Choose this level to update the basic DOS and Windows system files and update many of Windows additional startup protocols. Level 3 Crucial Maximum (Available only in the registered version.) Choose this level to update the basic DOS and Windows system files and update many of Windows additional startup protocols. Plus, you will have the added protection of Windows arsenal of critical DLL, VXD, DRV, INI and other files. Choose this setting only if you're thoroughly serious about system protection. (Could take 100+ meg.) 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � DAYS BETWEEN UPDATES � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Choose how many days between level updates From here you can choose how many days between each update. The range is 1-20 days. There are two times when System Safe checks to see if an update is due. 1) Upon computer startup and 2) When you exit & update from System Safe program interface. For all those who never turn off your computer, here is how to occasionally update the two alternating sets that System Safe saves. If you have System Agent that comes with Microsoft's Windows 95 Plus package you can set System Agent to run System Safe's monitor periodically. Note: For best results, set System Safe's days between updates either equal to or less than the amount of days Systems Agent checks. If you don't have System Agent, then there are other third-party schedulers available, many on the internet. Ideally if you set System Agent, or a third-party scheduler, to check every seven days, then you need to set System Safe to check every six or seven days. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � RECOVER SYSTEM � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� For best results, recover your system using System Safe from DOS. Not shelled to DOS from Windows. Emergency Recovery . . . When is the best time to recover? There are generally two ideal times a recovery should be performed. 1) After a crash, then resulting ill effects occur, i.e. inability to properly start Windows or inability to startup DOS or when you observe unusual startup error messages or are forced into 'safe mode'. 2) Typically, after a major install wherein you receive improper effects similar to those experienced above. I have two update sets. Which recovery set do I use. System Safe provides you with two alternating sets of updates in order to maximize your chances of a secure recovery. The one you choose depends on your system settings. When System Safe restores your system files, it totally replaces your existing ones. You want to go 'back' far enough to restore from a good, uncorrupted set, but not so far back that the old system files does not reflect your recent program installs and system setting changes. That's why System Safe allows a range of 1 to 20 days between updates. The ideal setting is 3-5 days. If your setting is 1-2, then choose the earliest date. if your setting is 3-20, then your most recent should be adequate. However, if you find it corrupt, then choose the earliest date. Note: If you've updated from both sets and still experience ill effects, then chances are either both sets are corrupt or you have a more serious problem such as, hardware, or hardware conflicts, or a computer virus. In either case, first eliminate hardware and virus possibilities and re-install Windows 95. Refer to an authorized computer technician. Recover my level settings from update set A Choose this option to recover from set A. Refer to Emergency Recovery above to determine the best recovery strategy. If you've just installed and not yet updated, then recovery is not yet possible. Recover my level option from update set B Choose this setting to recover from set B. Refer to Emergency Recovery above to determine the best recovery strategy. If you've just installed and not yet updated, then recovery is not yet possible. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � ADVANCED � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Advanced Settings in SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL are only available in the registered version and are listed as follows. File Extension Table Here, you can choose which extra system files to update. The choices are, .DLL, .OCX, .VXD, .CPL, .DRV, .TLB, .3GR, .386, .INI. Use of this table gives you the ability to trim down the number of update files and/or determine which are more important. Note: The default setting includes all. Backup The Entire Directories of Windows & Windows\System Now for even more protection, you can backup the Windows main directory and the Windows\System directory, in one step, including hidden system files and compress them for less hard drive usage. You can also restore from SSP's Advanced feature. It's recommended you backup these directories every 2 to 4 weeks. Note: Only the directory of Windows and no sub-directories are stored and only the directory of Windows\System and no sub-directories are stored. The Windows and Windows\System Directories will be compressed using Info-ZIP's software program Zip.exe and unzipped using Info-ZIP's software program Unzip.exe. The Info-ZIP file compression utilities are included in the SSP software and is not being sold as part of the package and no hidden charges for such are incurred. The registration fee only covers time and effort in the creation of SSP. NOTE: is packaged in this Zip file along with Info-ZIP's compression utility. Info-ZIP's software (Zip, UnZip) is free and can be obtained as source code or executables from various anonymous-ftp sites, including ftp.uu.net:/pub/archiving/zip/*. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � UNINSTALL SYSTEM SAFE � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� NOTE: You should uninstall SSP from DOS because you will be expected to restart your computer afterward. Uninstall System Safe System Safe understands the importance of a total and complete clean uninstall. I hope you never find the need to do so, but if you do, here is the proper method. When you choose Uninstall, you will see a warning screen and you will be asked if you're sure. If yes, SSP will be removed. If no, you will see the message 'Uninstall Aborted' with no changes. If you uninstall, you will no longer have the ability to recover from a system crash. Remember, to re-install System Safe... System Safe can be installed using Winzip or installed from DOS. * Winzip Choose open, choose SSAFEPRO.ZIP and double click on Install. * DOS Create a temporary directory on your hard drive and unzip the files to there using Winzip or Pkunzip. Then switch to that directory and run Install.exe. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � FINAL NOTES � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE As you've noticed in the heading of this and other System Safe help files, this program is year 2000 compliant. This means that when the year 2000 comes, this program will continue to function normally because it uses the date format MM-DD-YYYY in its internal structure to determine when the next update will occur. How does this measure into the scheme of things? Well, when the year 2000 comes around, it will see 01-01-2000 instead of trying to revert to seeing 01-01-1900, or more accurately 01-01-00, where it sees 00 as 1900. The translation: When many of your programs fail to function, you can have the assurance that System Safe won't even notice the woes of the other programs around it. AUTOMATED PROTECTION Just Install, Set and Go. System Safe will quietly safeguard you system by providing timely updates according to your settings so that one dreadful day when your system fails, System Safe can take the edge off by restoring your system and peace of mind. MEMORY FRIENDLY System Safe is memory and resource friendly because it is not a terminate and stay program (TSR). Once System Safe loads, determines update and the program exits, it is no longer in memory taking up space. This is why it's important you shut down you computer occasionally and restart. If you leave you machine on all the time or for extended periods, you can still run System Safe on a schedule. You will find this solution in the Install section above. ALTERNATING SETS Remember, to double your protection, System Safe updates two different sets of your system files. This method is designed for the purpose of an optimum success rate of recovery. Should you ever have to access these files directly, they can be found in the hidden directory you set during installation under the sub directories of safe1 and safe2. In these disk safes you will find the sub directories of levels. Just choose the directory according to your last set level. OTHER DISK OPERATING SYSTEMS SSP is intended for Windows 95; DOS 7. Under a previous version of DOS, the results could be unpredictable while attempting a recovery. SSP uses direct calls to the Windows 95 system during the recovery routine so its very likely you'll receive a 'wrong DOS version' message or a coded error message. I would suggest that all operations of SSP be conducted under DOS 7. I recommend you make a Windows 95 system start up disk in the event you experience difficulty booting from your hard drive. This way, you can boot using your startup floppy and from the DOS prompt run SSP and use its recovery feature. KEY.COM This file to be used in the event of a partial install of System Safe. If for some reason an incomplete installation of System Safe has occurred a lockout will follow. This program unlocks System Safe and allows a new installation to be completed. The reason for this 'lockout'. During a normal installation, System Safe lets you set the program and update data directories. Once these are set and the installation is finished, you cannot re-install until you first uninstall. If you try to re-install without uninstalling first, you get a message telling you to uninstall first. Well, I think you get the picture. This prevents the directories from being disrupted and unavailable for a recovery. WARNING! EXECUTING THIS FUNCTION WILL CAUSE YOU TO HAVE TO COMPLETELY RE-INSTALL SYSTEM SAFE. To execute this function type [ key safe ] at the DOS prompt. START UP SCREEN DISPLAYS ENHANCED COLOR OUTLINES Because of the palettes used to color the logo and progress bar at startup, the Windows 95 start up screen may display enhanced color outlines. No ill effects are being produced to your system. SYSTEM SAFE'S PERFORMANCE I've tested System Safe during and after production. If you experience anything unusual while using System Safe, please email me. SYSTEM SAFE PROFESSIONAL WITH ISO-SEEK TECHNOLOGY Email: jimmyb@iso.net Visit The System Safe Home page at: http://www.iso.net/~jimmyb/safe.html Here, you will find updates, additional notes and news about this product. Jim Sivage Author/Creator, Designer, Code Writer, Research & Development P.S. You're welcome to visit my personal web site at: http://www.iso.net/~jimmyb/